Frühlingssonate
by Morbidly Obscure
Summary: Alois/Elizabeth. Lady Elizabeth Middleford knows what she wants in life; she will marry Ciel Phantomhive and live happy ever after. Enter one half-mad, blond-haired imp, and the best layed plans go ary. Request fic. Slight Ciel/Sebastian.
1. Chapter 1

**This fic was written on request from Ciel Michaelis on for an Alois/Elizabeth fic. I hope it makes you happy :)**

**The name is from Beethoven's Sonata No. 5, and it means "Spring Sonata." The four parts of the story are named chronologically after the four movements of the Sonata. There will be two chapters.**

**OoO**

**~Movement One: Allegro~**

The argument Ciel was holding with some toy shop manager over the proper display of Funtom company products in the front window was business-y and boring. Elizabeth squirmed in her place at Ciel's side. She wanted to leave, perhaps to go look at dresses, or simply stroll the streets with her cousin and fiance. She wanted to urge Ciel to leave the matter be, but she held her tongue, for fear of receiving another of the boy's sharp rebukes.

Fortunately, Ciel was too occupied with his debate to notice Lizzie slipping out into the square, and Sebastian, omnipresent and apparently omnipotent, did not alert his master. Once out, Lizzie tipped her face up, searching for a drop of sunlight somewhere in the gray London sky. What she saw, however, was another child—a boy—picking his way along one of the square's tall stone walls, arms outstretched like a tightrope walker as his heeled boots clicked, one after the other, against the stone. The boy was about fourteen, with sparkling sky-blue eyes and wind-tossed golden hair. Lizzie recognized him immediately.

"Alois Trancy?" Lizzie spoke out of confusion; she would not have expected the young earl to be involved in this sort of activity.

"Ciel's fiance?" Alois wobbled as he turned, but he wore a brilliant smile.

"It's Elizabeth!" Lizzie called up, affecting annoyance, "Lizzie."

"Whatever," Alois waved a hand before sitting down on the wall's edge, stockinged legs dangling.

"How'd you get up there?" Lizzie wondered, waking closer to the wall.

"Why should I tell you?" Alois replied with an infuriating smirk.

Out of pure defiance, Lizzie strode along the perimeter of the wall, grinning when she came across a thick, sturdy vine that grew all the way up the stone. Alois looked dubiously down from his perch, obviously doubting Lizzie's ability to scale the stalk. Well, she'd show him. Beneath the puff sleeves and bell-skirts of her Paris-imported dresses, Lizzie harbored slim but powerful cables of solid muscle, honed from years of her mother's merciless fencing regimen.

Before long, Lizzie was sitting right beside Alois. Her dress was clearly ruined, but for the first time in known history, Elizabeth Middleford didn't care whether or not she looked cute. She felt triumphant, and Alois was visibly impressed.

"Not scared of heights, then, are you?" He said, and Lizzie shook her head, laughing. "Me neither," Alois continued, staring out onto the collection of shops below them, "I like being up high like this. When you're real high up and can look down, you feel almost like a God."

"I guess," Lizzie said, but she suddenly felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to be powerful, not really, because then Ciel might not love her...

"You know what else I like?" Alois asked, ever the conversationalist.

"What?" Lizzie demanded. Really, she was already eager to get down and find Ciel.

"I like to steal things," Alois said, catching Lizzie by complete surprise.

"_What_?" She repeated, and Alois had her full attention now.

"I used to steal things all the time, when I was younger," Alois explained serenely, "but now...well, I still think it's fun. The problem is, I can buy most things, so there's not much worth stealing."

"You shouldn't steal," Lizzie said, taken aback.

"Too bad, 'cause I'm going to steal something right now," Alois grinned, catlike.

"What's that?" Lizzie whispered, because Alois was looking right at her with those brilliant eyes, so engaged, so focused on her...

"I'm going to steal..." Alois leaned in, murmuring so low that Lizzie had to mimic the movement, "you're first kiss!"

Alois captured Lizzie's lips with his own, and Lizzie felt her eyelids flutter down. Behind her closed lids she could see flowers bloom. When Alois pulled away, her lips buzzed and her mouth tasted sweet. She stared at the blond, with his dancing eyes and dazzling grin. Lizzie was feeling a billion different emotions at once, and only one of them was anger. Alois was laughing, flaxen head tossed back. Not knowing what else to do, Lizzie slapped him. Hard. Alois stilled, and his struck cheek went blush-red.

After that, something curious happened: Alois and Lizzie looked at each other. Quietly. Calmly. Aquamarine met Emerald with frank curiosity on both sides. Seconds ticked by, and a sort of discovery bloomed within each set of eyes, a recognition. On the tips of their tongues, they could taste it—_something_ was about to happen. Right this second. Right n—

"Elizabeth...Alois."

Two blond heads turned in unison to see Ciel Phantomhive's delicate face tipped up, single cerulean eye boring into each of them.

"Ciel!" Elizabeth half-cried, half-gasped.

Alois's surprise ebbed after a moment, and he called down, "Hi~ Ciel! Want to join us?"

Ciel's face was that emotionless mask Elizabeth had gotten so used to; that perfect poker face. It was quite a shock when affected apathy gave way to an easy grin.

"Hello, Alois," Ciel greeted neutrally, "Lizzie, sorry to drag you off, but Aunt Frances will rain fire and brimstone on me if you're not home soon."

"O-oh, right," Lizzie said, then remembered herself and replied perkily, "Of course! I'll be down in a two shakes of lamb's tail! Sorry, Earl Trancy, but I've got to go!"

"Mmph," Alois muttered, and he suddenly sounding bored out of his wits, "by then."

Lizzie frowned but set off down the vine. She dared one glance back at Alois, and her breath caught in her throat because she'd never seen someone looking at her so sadly. Even as she and Ciel walked away and Sebastian helped them into their carriage, she could feel those melancholic baby-blues on her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Second and final chapter; hope you all like, and remember to review! :)**

**OoO**

**~Movement Two: Adagio~**

Something very, very strange was going on; Lizzie was sure of it. For one, Ciel had planned a picnic for the two of them. Of course, it was a lovely day, and Lizzie was ecstatic, but the fact remained that Ciel Phantomhive simply did _not_ plan picnics, nor did he spend idle time with Elizabeth of his own free will. And then, even more puzzling, was the fact that Ciel had invited _Alois Trancy_ to accompany them. Now, Lizzie had only seen Ciel and Alois interact a handful of times, but she was a more perceptive girl than she let on and had seen enough of them to be quite sure that Ciel_ hated_ Alois.

As they sat on their picnic blanket in the warm spring sunshine, however, Ciel didn't say a single word against their location, activities, or Alois's company. Rather odd behavior from an antisocial, asthmatic boy who preferred pens to trees and chess to walking. Lizzie was enjoying herself, though, chatting freely with the two young lords and nibbling at the tea sandwiches Sebastian had prepared. Alois was doing most of the talking, telling mad stories and making the most peculiar comments. Lizzie's ribs had begun to ache from laughing...and the fact that Alois had jabbed them in a stealth tickle attack earlier that day. Ciel had said nothing at the time, and now he occasionally chuckled at Alois's babbling. From time to time, the dark-haired Earl made a half-muttered, vitriolic quip that made Lizzie smack his arm but did nothing to quell Alois's ebullience.

It had been clear from the beginning that Alois was surprised at his inclusion in the picnic, as well as by Ciel's calm acceptance of his presence. He was not shy, though; the blond frequently slung a friendly arm around Ciel, who promptly slipped away, or tangled his slender fingers in Lizzie's gilded curls. He told Lizzie her eyes were beautiful, and she stammered out a thank-you.

Now, as the children lazed about on the blanket, sipping their tea, Alois drained his cup and tossed the delicate porcelain into the glass, sending an unamused Sebastian after it. He flopped himself down, stretching his legs out, and layed his fair head in Lizzie's lap.

"Tell me a story," the Earl of Trancy said, letting his thick dark lashes flicker down. The white ruffles of Lizzie's day-dress made a lovely pillow, especially with the layers of petticoats beneath acting as cushions.

Lizzie immediately glanced over at Ciel, but the boy was lying on his stomach, slender ankles crossed in the air, as he read over a stack of sales reports. He'd stripped off his green riding jacket and bunched up his sleeves, but the black silk top-hat remained; it was inconvenient in the spring heat, but Ciel was very prone to sun-burn. Physically, Ciel was just a foot away, but in spirit he was a million miles off.

Lizzie didn't get a chance to ask Alois what kind of story he wanted because then Sebastian served their dessert—little strawberry short-cakes for each child. It was all sugar, sponge, and sweetness in Lizzie's mouth. To her disappointment, Ciel continued to read the sales reports as he ate. For a distraction, Lizzie watched Alois. Slowly and methodically, he spooned out the creamy icing from between the layers of pastry and lapped it off the utensil like an impeccably groomed blond cat. He gutted the confection and left the strawberries and cake scattered about the plate.

"Now," He looked up at Lizzie, "about that story..."

"All the good ones are hard to memorize," Lizzie apologized, "I only know those old fairy tales and nursery rhymes. I'm sure you've heard them all a million times."

"Read me this, then," Alois demanded, grabbing one of the periodicals Ciel had brought. He flipped through the pages till he settled on a novella chapter.

Lizzie took the periodical, noting that Alois had selected some sort of romance-adventure story—Lizzie's favorite sort actually, though Ciel always preferred mystery and horror. Lizzie read, girlish voice soft but clear. As Lizzie's attention became focused on the words before her and the sun lulled her into a stupor, she found herself resting against Alois. The blond boy sat quietly, listening to his companion's voice and licking contentedly at the silver bowl of his spoon. It was...a very peaceful sort of moment, centered mainly around the silence of the young Earls and Lizzie's recitation of a dramatic romance blooming between a pirate and a princess.

"._...and it is now Arabella's burden to choose between the monotonous yet consistent land she has forever known, and the perilous, capricious, mysterious sea—a frontier she may perchance explore with the anchor of love and the wings of freedom,_" Lizzie finished with dramatic flair.

"I will wait on baited breath for the next addition," Ciel drawled sarcastically.

"So you have been listening!" Alois exclaimed, voicing Lizzie's exact thoughts, "Well _I_ thought it was romantic. Don't you, Elizabeth?"

"Yes," Elizabeth admitted, not minding that she was siding with Alois, rather than her fiance.

"Hey," Alois stood up, stretching, "let's go for a swim."

Without waiting for a response, Alois shrugged off his purple brocade jacket, with it's flared sleeves and dark, swirling print, and set eagerly upon his boots.

"I don't swim," Ciel said flatly as he turned to a new page of reports.

"Pbbt," Alois blew a raspberry at Ciel, then turned his attention to Lizzie, "Come on. We can play pirates and princesses."

"I don't have a bathing suit," Lizzie confessed. She was genuinely disappointed; a dip would be quite nice right now, and she really _was_ enjoying Alois's company...

"Oh, you don't need a—"

"I took the liberty of bringing a bathing dress for you, Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian cut in, "you may change in that grove, and I will ensure that you are not...intruded upon."

"Oh!" Lizzie took the pale blue bathing dress gratefully, though she was very confused. Glancing over at her fiance, Lizzie was sure she saw the trace of a grin on the dark-haired boy's face. As Sebastian led her over to the grove, Lizzie asked, "What is going on?"

The butler offered an enigmatic grin. "This may help clear things up," he said, pulling an envelope from his pocket. The scarlet sealing wax bore a familiar image of hawks and thorns—the Phantomhive crest. He handed it to the girl, who took the parchment in her hands as one might cup a butterfly between their palms. Bemused, Lizzie wandered off into the grove.

**~Movement Three: Scherzo~**

As Lizzie changed, she read. The sharp, precise lettering was unmistakably Ciel's. Under Lizzie's fingers, the seal popped like a maidenhead—Elizabeth blushed at the very thought—and the rich, sweet aroma of rose oil wafted up from the ink; the letter had been penned recently.

_Elizabeth,_

_You are my oldest and dearest friend. However, you spend a truly absurd amount of time trying to make me happy. I have done a very poor job returning the favor. I will say this one time only, so try to listen to me for once in your life: You deserve to be happy. I am telling you to pursue your own pleasure and contentment. That way, you can stop bothering me._

_Sincerely,_

_Ciel Phantomhive._

Lizzie, now barefoot in her bathing togs. stared at the letter, and she felt for a moment like some great trick had been played on her. She folded the letter, vowing to save it in the scrapbooks she religiously kept, and set back toward the bank.

By the time Lizzie got there, Alois had stripped down to his undershirt and little black knickerbockers. They dove into the still-cool waters of the pond. Laughing, splashing, and shrieking, the pair felt an odd lightness in their hearts. It was nothing, really—a pleasant spring day with a new playmate—but it may just be those spring days of childhood awakenings that gain their own sort of immortality...

**~Movement Four: Rondo~**

On the bank, Ciel had removed his shoes and socks so that he could dip his feet in the sun-specked waters. He watched the blond duo before him with a serene cobalt eye. He even felt the corners of his lips threatening to twitch up. Before he could get too absorbed in his companions' antics, Ciel stood, bare feet traversing the grassy bank to where Sebastian was standing, dark and dutiful.

"Sebastian," he said, and the man leaned down to listen. Rather than saying a word, Ciel stood on tip-toe to join his and Sebastian's lips in a languid, familiar kiss.

"That was quite unexpected, Young Master," the butler commented, amused tone colored by faint surprise.

Ciel shrugged unapologetically. "It's all this young love in the air," he motioned to the oblivious blonds splashing about a ways off, "it's affecting my brain."

"It's only natural, I suppose," Sebastian smiled and pressed a soft kiss on Ciel's lips before the boy could spoil the mood any further.


End file.
